"Y’all owe this man an apology" - Dez Bryant calls out Kyrie Irving critics as Mavericks guard wins NBA Fan Favorite award

Kyrie Irving and the Dallas Mavericks experienced a notable turnaround this season after missing the NBA playoffs last campaign. The veteran guard finally appears settled after tumultuous stints with the Boston Celtics and Brooklyn Nets, respectively.

The 2016 NBA champion was voted the NBA Fan Favorite Handle of the Year, taking home an award that highlights one of the most notable strengths in Irving's game.

Former Dallas Cowboys star Dez Bryant celebrated the award with Irving. He asked fans to applaud Irving for the way he came back after being mired in off-field issues and being labeled a troublemaker.

"A lot of y’all owe this man an apology!" Bryant wrote on Twitter today.

When the Mavericks decided to land Kyrie Irving ahead of the 2023 trade deadline, plenty of experts predicted he would create trouble in Dallas too. He had been previously involved in a lot of off-field controversies, such as his refusal to take the Covid-19 vaccine and sharing link to a problematic film on social media. After the team missed the playoffs last season, the negative comments didn't take long to arrive.

However, Irving really connected with Luka Doncic this season, creating a terrific duo on offense, with the front office putting the right pieces around them. As a result, the Mavericks are three wins away from returning to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2011, the year Dirk Nowitzki took them to the top of the league.

Irving has averaged 26.0 points, 5.4 assists and 5.0 rebounds in 78 games with the Mavericks since last season. He's posted 21.8 points, 5.3 assists and 4.1 rebounds during this year's playoff run, helping Doncic lead the team to the Western Conference finals.

There's still work to do, but if Kyrie keeps up the level, the Mavericks can continue their notable run.

Patrick Mahomes backs Kyrie Irving and Mavericks to "win it all"

Besides Dez Bryant, another big name in the NFL, Patrick Mahomes, has sent a message about Kyrie Irving. In an appearance on First Things First, the three-time Super Bowl champion said nobody could beat the Mavericks if they have Irving and Doncic performing at their best.

"I think if Luka plays the way that Luka can play and if Kyrie plays like Kyrie, they gotta stand a chance against anybody to win it all," Mahomes stated.

Skip Bayless also warned about 'scary' Luka Doncic ahead of Game 2 against the Minnesota Timberwolves. If Kyrie Irving connects with him the same way they did in Game 1, the Mavs could go back home in a privileged position, leading the series 2-0 in front of their fans.